Fed up with crime, this Ottawa store owner took matters into his own hands
A store owner in Barrhaven who has been robbed multiple times wasn't going to let it happen again. Against the advice of police, he stepped in to stop another robbery from happening right in his store.
It happened at an eye glasses store called Eyes of Barrhaven on Strandherd Drive near Citigate Drive.
It unfolded in minutes during daylight hours on Monday. The store owner says the suspects walked in and started taking items off the shelves. That's when he jumped into action.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
Surveillance video shows the moment four people walked into the store, the situation quickly escalating.
"Two of them were masked. They looked like they were not interested in buying anything. They were just coming in to take merchandise like they've done in the past five other times. And we just had enough of it," said Awni George, the owner of Eyes of Barrhaven.
George says he witnessed the thieves pocketing designer sunglasses and eyewear off the shelves.
"I was pushed by the individual as he took the frames right in front of me and said, 'You can't do anything about it.' And those were his words to me, 'We're going to come in here and we're going to take whatever we want and walk out.'"
Moving quickly, George stopped the robbery, perfoming a citizen's arrest.
Others in the store jumped in to help, holding down one suspect, while the three ran away.
"Three of them ran out with a bunch of frames, and then one of the other gentlemen tried to escape and he wasn't so fortunate to get out," said Andrew Ratte, who helped to perform the citizen's arrest. "And then luckily we had him on the ground and then from there he started to make malicious threats, talking about stabbing us with fentanyl."
George says it appears to be the same group of people who have stolen from his store several other times. He estimates he's out around $15,000 from all of the incidents.
"It's very damaging to a small business that we have to constantly be in this state of fear, in the state of alarm. And at the same time, financially, we're burdened by these criminals constantly coming in and committing these crimes against us," said George.
Ottawa police were not available for an on-camera interview, but a spokesperson said in an email that police don't recommend anyone attempt a citizen's arrest for the safety of the victims and bystanders. On Friday, police said a 40-year-old man was arrested and charged with robbery with violence and breach of probation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Old Montreal kidnapping: search for 4th victim continues as provincial police take over investigation
The investigation into a quadruple kidnapping in Old Montreal has been transferred to Quebec provincial police.
FDA warns company against selling products containing human fecal matter to those in U.S. and Canada. Here's what Health Canada says about selling these products
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to a company appearing to sell products containing human fecal matter without approval from the agency.
A new study shows that 1 year of this kind of exercise yields results 4 years later
Exercise is good, but resistance training with heavy weight is great! That's especially true if you are looking to maintain strength in older age, a new study shows.
'We're enraged': Tori Dunn’s father shares her heartbreaking final moments
Hundreds of mourners gathered at a vigil in Surrey Bend Regional Park Saturday evening to honour Tori Dunn, who was killed in the city’s Port Kells neighbourhood last weekend.
Conservative surge combined with ballot confusion could crack a Liberal stronghold in Toronto byelection
Growing political discontent in a Liberal stronghold could lead to a Conservative breakthrough in an Ontario byelection that may put Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership to the test. On Monday, voters in the riding of Toronto-St. Paul's will head to the polls to elect a new member of Parliament.
Former first lady Melania Trump stays out of the public eye as Donald Trump runs for president
After Melania Trump missed key events in her husband's presidential bid earlier this year — from the kickoff of the 2024 election in Iowa to Donald Trump's Super Tuesday victory party — reporters asked the former first lady whether she planned to hit the campaign trail. Her response: "Stay tuned."
Death toll at Hajj pilgrimage rises to 1,300 amid scorching temperatures
More than 1,300 people died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced extreme high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom, Saudi authorities announced Sunday.
Why Mount Rainier is the U.S. volcano keeping scientists up at night
The snowcapped peak of Mount Rainier, which towers 4.3 kilometres (2.7 miles) above sea level in Washington state, has not produced a significant volcanic eruption in the past 1,000 years. Yet, more than Hawaii’s bubbling lava fields or Yellowstone’s sprawling supervolcano, it’s Mount Rainier that has many U.S. volcanologists worried.
1 person found dead and 2 still missing after floods, rockslide hit a Swiss Alpine village
Rescuers in Switzerland have found the body of one of three people a day after they were swept away in a rockslide that hit their Alpine village following massive thunderstorms and rainfall, authorities said Sunday. The other two are still missing.